ABSTRACT
To justify issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), an Environmental Assessment (EA) must provide clear and convincing evidence that the proposal would not result in any significant impacts, or that any significant impacts can be mitigated to the point of nonsignificance. In contrast, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) does not assume this evidentiary burden, as it essentially acknowledges the presence of significant impacts. Consequently, if challenged, an EIS is often easier to defend.
